


There Is One Big Difference

by Sheynora



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Season/Series 03 Spoilers, The Alpha Pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 16:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheynora/pseuds/Sheynora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers through Season 3, Episode 4 "Unleashed"</p><p>Six years.</p><p>Four months.</p><p>And seventeen days since Derek has felt hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There Is One Big Difference

Six years.

 

Four months.

 

And seventeen days.

 

It's been that long since Derek felt like this. There's hope blooming in his chest and a perverse sense of happiness even as his sister— _his sister_ —digs her claws into him, over and over again. Erica may be dead, Boyd and Cora may be shredding into him like his skin is only paper, and there's a distinct possibility Derek may not survive the night, _but his sister will survive._

 

Derek hadn't dared to feel any hope since Kate burned down his house and most of his family in it, condemning their innocent lives only because they had been something “other”, something unknown and scary to people who have only even been human.

 

Since Laura became an Alpha but refused to expand her pack, knowing having only Derek for a beta made her too weak, and that one day another wolf would come along and take her place as Alpha. Derek was afraid Laura had given up on life because she either didn't care that Derek was still alive (maybe she loved the rest of her family, the ones that had died, more than she loved Derek?) or because she wanted Derek to have a better Alpha than her. Either thought is horrifying. But he'll never know now, you can't get answers from the dead.

 

Since he broke into the vault only to see his younger sister, whom he didn't even realize had survived the house fire six years ago, turn into a feral beast and run into the night, out towards an unsuspecting Beacon Hills. He had thought Cora would kill a human, someone innocent, and whether his sister lived or died would be taken out of his hands by the Argents. Or worse, he would have had to do the deed himself to protect the hundreds of Beacon Hills residents that he didn't know, and didn't care to know. He's honestly not sure he could have done it, chosen them over his sister. There's a part of him that's afraid that if it had come down to it, he would have let her kill them all rather than lift a claw against her, despite his brave talk to Scott of stopping her by any means necessary.

 

But the sun is about to rise. And no one human has died even if he does, because he's successfully distracted Cora from the woman who got locked down here with two feral werewolves.

 

Cora will live. And so will Boyd.

 

He knows the instant that night has broken. The growls and the sound of tearing flesh stutter to a stop, and the silence of dawn is deafening, till it's broken by Cora's gasping sobs. She's clutching at him, saying “Derek? Derek! Please don't be dead, oh god, please don't be dead!” She doesn't calm down until he's stopped bleeding and he can move his arms around her in a bone-crushing hug.

 

And that's why when Derek goes to fetch the woman who is crouched in the far corner of one of the closets, he doesn't just gruffly usher her out the door, good riddance to the person who might have undone all their plans. No, instead he stops and he looks, breathless with what he sees. She's fragile-looking, with wide eyes and a quivering mouth, and she's looking at him and reaching toward him like he can save her. And Derek has. Derek has saved this stranger, a human. Derek, whose mistakes has cost his family, his Alpha, and Erica their lives, has saved three people tonight. He's finally won.

 

 

................................................................................................................................................................

 

Derek can't stay away from her.

 

Whatever fragile thing he's beginning to feel for her, some nameless feeling growing in his chest, only intensifies after the first time he talks to her. She's smart, she tries to act like she's brave even though it is obvious she's terrified of him, and he can't stop looking at how perfect she looks.

 

Her name is Jennifer.

 

And Derek can have this, he can. He's saved Cora, and he's building more than just a pack now. He's building a family. It'll never replace the one he's lost, but it'll be something at least. Boyd will never leave him again. Scott finally trusts Derek. Isaac thinks of Derek as his own personal savior. Stiles is determined to help the whole pack, not just Scott. And Peter... okay, Peter can still go die in a black hole. Whatever, Derek is not letting thoughts of Peter darken the first beginnings of happiness he's felt in what seems like eternity.

 

It takes a few times of meeting Jennifer, cornering her in an empty classroom or running into her downtown before the smell of fear begins to dissipate, and she begins to smile whenever she sees him. She already knows what he is, that he isn't human, and it doesn't stop her from smiling. And when the scent of attraction has replaced the scent of fear, Derek kisses her for the first time. It's slow and loving, and everything Derek thought he'd never have again. It's so good, it's practically unreal.

 

Derek can't stop imagining the day she'll officially meet the pack. And maybe, someday, he won't have to try to save his pack on his own. She'll be there too, as his mate, his equal. The pack, which just months before seemed to be falling apart before his eyes, will be complete.

 

There will be five betas, one of whom will be his sister.

 

There will be a human to protect the rest of the pack with mountain ash.

 

There will be a guide, because despite Derek's initial mistrust of Deaton, Deaton has helped Derek's pack more than Derek can every repay.

 

And there will be Jennifer, his Alpha Mate.

 

And the Alpha Pack may be here, may be threatening to kill them all, but Derek already knows he won't given them what they want. Derek will never kill his own pack, no matter what Deucalion offers. "The Demon Wolf” has underestimated Derek.

................................................................................................................................................................

Or maybe Derek is the one who has underestimated Mr. Demon Wolf since he doesn't even notice something is wrong till the scent of Isaac is beginning to fade from the apartment.

 

“Where's Issac?” Derek gruffly asks the only person in the apartment at the moment. Peter, who has been lounging on the couch reading a book written in... is the ancient Aymara?... doesn't even look up from his book.

 

“Young Issac hasn't been around for quite a few days,” Peter says

 

“Did you do something to him?” Derek demands. Derek _knew_ he shouldn't have let Peter stay in the pack. He's afraid to even think what Peter may be trying to do now. Derek doesn't have the knowledge of ancient magic and werewolf tradition that Peter has, and isn't really sure what Peter is or isn't capable of. Derek really hopes there isn't anything to be gained by a ritualistic sacrifice of an innocent member of your own pack when you aren't an Alpha, otherwise he might be finding Isaac's bloody corpse.

 

“You needn't point fingers, Derek. _I_ haven't done anything to Isaac,” Peter says and then waits a few moments before adding, “But you have.”

 

“What?” Derek asks. Peter holds up his hands in parody of surrender and doesn't add more.

 

It takes less than a half hour to track Isaac to Scott's room, only before he can storm into the house and remind Isaac that he should have at least called after a few days to let Derek know he is okay, and what's wrong with Derek's apartment anyhow that he doesn't want to stay there anymore, Scott meets him at the front door of the house with an angry expression and doesn't budge to let Derek in.

 

“I think you should leave Isaac alone,” Scott says firmly.

 

“I want to make sure Issac is alright,” Derek grits out. He shouldn't be taking lip, especially from a beta of his own pack, but Derek suspects Scott doesn't realize he's still in Derek's pack, and maybe it's best to keep it that way. Derek's philosophy is that as long as Scott doesn't know he's in the pack, he can't say he's _not_ in the pack, and Derek can keep him. Small victories.

 

“Maybe you should have thought of that _before_ you threw Isaac out of your apartment!” Scott yells in his face with the barely contained righteous fury. Derek had thought Scott has stopped trying to make Derek the bad guy in every situation, but maybe Derek was wrong.

 

“I didn't!” Derek yells back. Scott glares at him. Derek glares back. Neither blink.

 

There's a sound similar to a herd of elephants running down the stairs, and then a few minutes later, Stiles is at the door.

 

“ _You!_ ” Stiles exclaims, like an accusation. Derek doesn't stop with his glaring content with Scott.

 

“Hey! Look at me when I going to lecture you! You need to see my I'm-disappointed-in-you face,” Stiles says while he attempts to push one of Derek's shoulders so Derek will have to turn slightly so he faces Stiles instead of Scott. Derek doesn't budge.

 

“Let. Me. Talk. To. Isaac.” Derek growls. Damn it, he doesn't have time to deal with the two stooges today.

 

“No!” Stiles proclaims like he is the one getting to make any decisions here, “You don't get to see him! People who throw glasses at people don't get visiting rights, sorry, not happening. And you could have talked to him, like, three days ago. Now's a little late to be coming back with you tail between your legs.”

 

“You're making even less sense than you normally do,” Derek says exasperated.

 

“ _I'm_ not making sense? _You_ 're not making sense. Seriously, you throw some apocalyptic fit at Isaac, he doesn't even know what he did wrong, and now you're acting like nothing happened? He was close to tears when he told us the story! Tears, Derek,” Stiles rants and Derek can see arms flailing about out of the corner of his eye.

 

“I have no idea what you are talking about, Stiles,” Derek repeats, even slower this time like Stiles is stupid.

 

“SERIOUSLY? The fit you threw at Isaac on Tuesday night? The one where you basically told him to _never come back?_ ” Stiles shrieks indignantly and Derek breaks his glaring contest with Scott to frown at Stiles in confusion.

 

“I didn't even see Isaac Tuesday night, I was at Jennifer's,” Derek says slowly.

 

“Whose Jennifer?” Stiles asks at the same time Scott says, “Wait, what?”

 

“Deucalion and his band of Alphas broke into my apartment that night. He called himself the demon wolf and said he wanted me to kill my pack. Then I went to Jennifer's. I didn't even see Isaac,” Derek explains.

 

“He wanted you to kill your own pack?” Stiles asks with a wrinkled-up nose, like he thinks that's the most disgusting thing he's ever heard of. He's probably imaging the amount of blood a deadly mauling by an Alpha would leave behind.

 

“You're... not lying,” Scott confirms, “but... neither was Isaac.” There's the sound of running footsteps on the stairs, again, and this time it's Isaac who joins them. Isaac looks shaken and a bit relieved.

 

“Well, looks like it's time to go visit Deaton,” Stiles proclaims with a clap of his hands.

 

 

................................................................................................................................................................

 

Deaton looks worried.

 

“Deucalion is powerful indeed if he can create false memories,” Deaton proclaims once they've finished telling the story. Well, once Stiles finished telling the story, with flailing arms and wide sweeping gestures, and enough gusto you'd think _he_ was the one who remembered something that didn't happen.

 

“False memories?” Scott asks.

 

“Yes, it's well-known an Alpha Pack can transfer memories. Take ones that aren't their own, or perhaps put some of their own into someone else. But... to create a memory, an event that never took place, and put it in someone's head, that requires a lot of power. Far more power than I've ever heard of,” Deaton explains. Isaac audibly gulps.

 

“How many of my memories are false?” Boyd asks quietly. There's silence. Boyd was at he Alpha Pack's mercy for months. Deucalion as much time as he wanted to change whatever memories he pleased.

 

“Erica... she was?” Boyd haltingly gets out. Was she really dead? Did she even exist?

 

“Deucalion would only be able to change the memories of an individual, and even then he's very limited in what he can do. You can't trust anything you see yourself, but if a group of you see it, then...” Deaton doesn't seem to have the heart to finish. Boyd nods slowly. So she is dead. But at least Boyd knows what he had for her was real then, too, that it wasn't just something the Alpha Pack implanted in his head to make her death affect him more.

 

“But it seemed so real!” Isaac protests. “The glass shattered right over my head... just like when my dad... oh, jesus. Just like with my dad. _Exactly_ like it.” The group turns to look at Isaac.

 

“My dad, he threw a glass at my once. I ducked, it shattered against the wall, right over my head, just like I thought had happened with Derek,” Isaac explains. Then he frowns. “But the words were completely different. My dad has been mad about my grades.”

 

“It's much easier to create a false memory of words than it is to create a false memory of images,” Deaton explains, “Deucalion would have had to take images that were already there, and just skew them. Make it Derek instead of your dad. That way, he doesn't have to worry about making the sound of the glass hitting the wall realistic. Your mind does the work for him.”

 

“So what we're looking for are memories that mimic previous memories,” Scott asks. Deaton nods.

 

After that, a buddy-system gets implemented. No one on their own. Though Derek makes exceptions for himself so he can see Jennifer and remind himself of what he's fighting for.

 

Which lasts up until the point Scott decides an intervention is in order, because he feels like Derek doesn't get to bend the rules for himself just because he's the Alpha. Derek's managed to avoid the confrontation for a few days by sneaking away any time he sees Scott, but Scott manages to be more determined than he first supposed. Derek's entire pack skips school so they can corner him when he least expects it in his own apartment, and sits him down so Scott can talk at him.

 

“You know, I'm not sure you should be sneaking off to wherever you go, even if you an Alpha,” Scott is telling Derek. “If your memories were affected, it would put _all_ of the pack in danger, not just you...”

 

“Where are you going anyway?” Stiles asks, because he has never felt the need to respect the right to privacy. Isaac elbows Stile in the side. But Derek supposes its about time he tells them he's dating their teacher after all.

 

“To see Jennifer,” Derek says.

 

“It's that name, again! Jennifer!” Stiles says accusingly, like Derek has done something wrong.

 

“You've mentioned her once before, who is she?” Scott says.

 

“I don't think that is any of our business,” Cora tells Scott, stiffly. Cora isn't one of Scott's biggest fans. Derek likes to think it's because she knows how much a pain in the ass Scott is for Derek, and it's all based in sisterly loyalty.

 

“Miss Blake, her full name is Jennifer Blake... we're together,” Derek says in a rush. He's jittery and nervous and excited, because even though he'd still ask her to be his mate if the pack hated her, he still really wants them to approve of her.

 

“You're working together?” Stiles asks, “Does she know about werewolves? Really? Miss Blake knows about _werewolves_. And what? You're planning together? She's helping you form a plan to kick Deucalion's ass?”

 

“She does know about werewolves, but I mean, we're _together_ ,” Derek says. He's met with blank stares.

 

“What? Like _dating?_ ” Stiles asks incredulous. Derek glares at him.

 

“Yes, like dating,” Derek says.

 

“But, uh, isn't Miss Blake gay? I thought she had a partner?” Isaac asks.

 

“And she's like, 50! Seriously, dude, ew, didn't know you went for cougar action,” Stiles shrieks.

 

“What?” Derek asks, “No, she's... she's in her 20s, Stiles. And she's not gay, we were kissing...”

 

“Miss Blake? You're talking about Miss Jennifer Blake, right?” Scott asks. “I mean, that's our English teacher, maybe you're talking about a different Jennifer Blake?”

 

“She... she teaches English. But she's not...” Derek says. And something sick turns over in Derek's stomach. Because no, it's not possible, Deucalion needs a memory to twist it. And Derek only has memories of Kate, he's never dated anyone else, and nothing with Jennifer has been anything like Kate.

 

Derek doesn't even know what he's doing till he's already at the High School. He's running through the halls, till he reaches Jennifer's classroom door, and he flings it open.

 

A woman, older with grey hair is at the chalkboard and falls silent at the intrusion into her classroom. Jennifer, with the upturned nose and cute smile, the brown hair and pale skin dotted with moles, who acts brave even when she's scared, isn't there. This Jennifer is a Jennifer Derek has never met.

 

“I'm sorry,” Derek manages to say to the classroom that is gawking at the interruption, and closes the classroom door again.

 

The rest of the pack is there a few minutes later.

 

“It's not possible,” Derek says faintly, “the memories were all new. They don't mimic anything... I don't...”

 

“We'll get you to Deaton,” Scott says quietly, and Boyd and Isaac help Derek to his feet.

................................................................................................................................................................

“This is troubling,” Deaton says, “Were the Alpha Pack ever close enough that they could access your memories?”

 

“No...” Derek begins to say, till he remembers that the entire Alpha Pack had attacked him in his own apartment, and amends it to, “wait... yes. Kali.”

 

“Could they be someone else's memories?” Boyd asks.

 

“Yes, it seems like they must be Kali's if she was the one to implant them. They would be altered memories. Deucalion would likely have told her the plan and then altered her memories that she would be transferring to Derek before the pack broke into the apartment. Then once Kali was close enough, she could transfer the memories from her mind to his.”

 

“I would have known if she had accessed my memories. It requires sinking claws into my neck,” Derek argues.

 

“She would need to create a great deal of pain to distract you from any pain from your neck,” Deaton says. And suddenly Kali's insistence on making Derek be in as much pain as possible while Deucalion went on about his own twisted powers makes a lot more sense. She wasn't just trying to keep him in place by impaling him on a pipe, but also creating pain to cover up what she was really doing. Carefully digging her claws into his neck to access his memories.

 

“Wait,” Stiles says, “I thought Alpha wounds didn't heal instantly. Derek would have a wound on his neck, right?”  
  


“That's only betas who can't heal instantly from Alpha wounds,” Derek explains. Which, thank god, otherwise there would still be a gaping wound in his stomach from the pipe.

 

“So, Kali fell in love with a Jennifer Blake? And the memories were transferred to Derek?” Isaac asks, confused.

 

“Deucalion would have taken Kali's own memories of falling in love, and he would have altered both the locations and the characters in the story,” Deaton explains.

 

“Issac was at his house while his dad threw a glass at him. But Deucalion changed the location and the characters. Isaac was at the loft while Derek threw a glass at him. Kali fell in love. Deucalion changed it so the memories take places in Beacon Hills and he changed whomever Kali was in love with to Jennifer Blake,” Scott concludes.

 

“But it wasn't the real Jennifer Blake,” Isaac says, “Did he just make her up?”

 

“No, Deucalion can alter the appearance of someone you already know. Or that Kali already knew. But considering Deucalion needed someone Derek wouldn't just ignore, but fall in love with, he likely chose someone Derek was already in love with, and just altered the person enough so Derek thought he was meeting a whole new person,” Deaton says with a pitying look in Derek's direction.

 

But Jennifer's not Kate, she's not. She couldn't have been based off Kate. Because she's both brave and kind, and has a smile that lights up her whole face, and... oh, _oh._

 

She has pale skin.

 

And, oh god, the pieces are falling together.

 

She has brown hair.

 

Moles.

 

An upturned nose.

 

And, shit.

 

She's smart.

 

She pretends to not be afraid of Derek even when scared of out of her (his) mind.

 

And Derek can't bear to look at Stiles, because he already knows what—who--he really wanted.

 

Jennifer Blake is Stiles.

 

Only, no, she's not. There's one big difference. Stiles is in love with Lydia Martin. But Jennifer Blake, who smiles like Stiles and is brave like Stiles; she, on the other hand, loved Derek.

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHHHH! MY FIRST FANFIC! So, I pretty much woke up at 6 am this morning and worked for 6 straight hours on this (faceplam).
> 
> I've chosen to mark this work as "complete", however I'm a sucker for reviews and can be easily persuaded if enough people are interested in a continuation of this story and a happier ending, I will happily comply.
> 
> Also, this story is unbetad. Any glaring mistakes, let me know and I'll fix them.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf. Please don't sue.


End file.
